The invention is directed to a universal joint puller for disassembling a universal joint, including its cross and bearing assembly, from the drive shaft yoke, transmission shaft yoke or the like.
Typical universal joint pullers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,846,891 and 4,019,233 issued on Nov. 12, 1974 and Apr. 26, 1977, respectively, to Carl L. Elg and James E. Jirele, respectively. In both of these patents a screw is utilized to apply a relative force between a pair of movable plates with one of the plates being connected by threaded studs to threaded bores of a drive shaft or universal shaft yoke, while the other member which carries the screw is connected by pivoted arms and connectors/adapters to the arms of a yoke from which a bearing cap is not being removed. While these universal joint pullers are generally effective for the intended purposes, each includes various undesirable characteristics, and the latter have been overcome for the most part by the patent's earlier invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,489 granted on Aug. 7, 1984. In this patent adapters are unnecessary and flexible cables are utilized to apply the necessary force in conjunction with an associated threaded screw. However, the latter universal joint puller is designed to accommodate relatively large vehicles, such as 26,000 lbs. vehicle gross weight and above, in which the yokes of the drive and/or universal shafts have threaded openings for cover plate bolts which, when removed, receive threaded ends of guide rods of the universal joint puller. There are, of course, many vehicles, such as smaller size trucks, pick-up trucks, some four-wheel drives and generally trucks in the range of 10,000 lbs.-26,000 lbs. vehicle gross weight, which do not have threaded yokes and, thus, will not accommodate the universal joint puller of U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,489.